The subject matter disclosed herein relates to X-ray imaging systems and more particularly to image acquisition and processing using X-ray imaging systems.
A number of radiological imaging systems of various designs are known and are presently in use. Certain such systems are based upon generation of X-rays that are directed toward a subject of interest. The X-rays traverse the subject and impact a film or a digital detector. Increasingly, such X-ray systems use digital circuitry for detecting the X-rays, which are attenuated, scattered or absorbed by the intervening structures of the subject. In medical diagnostic contexts, for example, such systems may be used to visualize internal tissues and diagnose patient ailments. In other contexts, parts, baggage, parcels, and other subjects may be imaged to assess their contents and for other purposes.
Basic X-ray systems may be designed for generating projection images only. Such projection images may be presented as a standard X-ray image, although the image data itself is subject to various presentations. In addition to projection X-ray systems, other types of systems include fluoroscopy systems, computed tomography systems, and tomosynthesis systems that are based on similar X-ray radiation generation and detection. In computed tomography and tomosynthesis systems, for example, volumetric images are typically computed as a set of slices through the subject based upon various reconstruction techniques applied to multiple directly collected X-ray projection images.
During the acquisition of image data with one or more of the radiological imaging systems, image quality degradation due to motion blur may occur in the image data caused by various types of motion. One effect of motion blur on the image is that high-frequency features (e.g., edges in the image) may be smeared. Types of motion that may cause motion blur include patient/tissue motion (e.g., cardiac, respiratory, etc.), instrument motion, detector motion, gantry motion, and X-ray radiation source motion. Various techniques exist for dealing with motion blur. However, these techniques may result in prolonging image acquisition time, requiring additional mechanical capabilities for an imaging system, increasing image noise, and/or losing image information during image processing.